Advice needed - big leylandii badly damaged by storm

[NyxTaryn]

Hello everyone! So unfortunately, the biggest tree in our garden suffered a bit of damage in the last storm/snow and has now suffered a lot more damage in the most recent storm (we're in a red alert area). We're getting some arborists/tree surgeons out to look at it and give us some quotes, but I thought I would check on here as well and see what people would recommend in this instance. Ideally, we'd like to save the tree and maintain as much of its size as possible, but obviously we don't want to leave it up if it poses a substantial risk to us or our property. (Our house about 20m away from the tree, facing the non-damaged section) We were lucky when this came down that nobody was hurt and there was only minimal damage to the garage roof and a nearby tree. So far, we've had one tree surgeon come out who has suggested we remove the broken sections (obviously), but also reduce the height of the tree by half to decrease the risk of it breaking further in future storms and give it protection from the surrounding shorter trees. I was under the impression topping a conifer tree usually just makes it weaker and uglier, but maybe it's the best option under the circumstances. I...s that something others would recommend here? If not, what would you do instead?

[Stere]

Quote

That doesn't absolutely have to be the case, if you do them properly twice a year every year they end up like carpet.

 

 

True but this doesn't  seem happen as often...compared to the other scenario & also  you can still often see  brown bare  bits due to aphids / moths/ fungi.

 

 

[Rushes]

If you start looking at alternatives that could go there it might be easier to take the decisin to remove it.

Check out a Paulownia - really fast growing would prefer dry but worth a go.

Edited Monday at 08:32 by Rushes

[spandit]

Superb firewood, IMO. Let it dry for 2 years, at least.

[peds]

17 minutes ago, spandit said:

Superb firewood, IMO. Let it dry for 2 years, at least.

 

I knocked over a stand of escaped leylandii for someone a couple of years ago (previously topped, multiple new leaders, a windy mess). I offered to process it for him, said wait for four years and it'll be some of the best firewood you'll ever have.

He just left them there on the ground. 

 

Drove by a few months ago, the site had been digger cleared... I saw him, asked what became of the wood. He said the digger driver told him it was pure garbage, he dug a big hole, smashed it all in, leveled the top, walked away.

Pity.

 

He was buying in double-height pallet crates of kiln-dried from eastern Europe. 

[spandit]

He probably couldn't find it listed in the poem 🙄

[peds]

For anyone who can't recite it from the top of their head:

 

*

 

The Firewood Poem

Beechwood fires are bright and clear

If the logs are kept a year,

Chestnut's only good they say,

If for logs 'tis laid away.

Make a fire of Elder tree,

Death within your house will be;

But ash new or ash old,

Is fit for a queen with crown of gold

 

Birch and fir logs burn too fast

Blaze up bright and do not last,

it is by the Irish said

Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.

Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,

E'en the very flames are cold

But ash green or ash brown

Is fit for a queen with golden crown

 

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,

Fills your eyes and makes you choke,

Apple wood will scent your room

Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom

Oaken logs, if dry and old

keep away the winter's cold

But ash wet or ash dry

a king shall warm his slippers by.

 

*

 

Now open to suggestions for a stanza extolling the virtues of leylandii firewood. 

 

 

[spandit]

"All wood that's dry will burn all right,

Except for horse chestnut - that's just shite"

[GarethM]

1 hour ago, spandit said:

"All wood that's dry will burn all right,

Except for horse chestnut - that's just shite"

Or everyone is picky about firewood until it's cold, then they'll damn near burn anything.

[peds]

That doesn't rhyme.

[Doug Tait]

Leylandii is just grand you see, no bugger wants it so it's cheap for me.